Charleston – A storybook finish was not to be for the Ashley Hall tennis team in 2023. For the second straight season, the Panthers were state runner-ups in the SCISA Class AAAA state tournament.
Ashley Hall lost to area rival Porter-Gaud, 5-3, in the finals. The Panthers reached the finals with an upset win over Trinity Collegiate, the defending state champions and avenged a loss in the finals.
Pulling off another upset would prove to be difficult but coach Charlotte Hartsock was more than pleased with her team’s 2023 season.
“We knew it would be a close match but we felt we had a shot,” Hartsock said. “I think our team got better as the season went along. I’m proud of the girls. It was a good accomplishment just to be here with a chance.”
Ashley Hall lost twice to Porter-Gaud during the regular season, both by 5-4 scores.
Lily Sloan played No. 1 singles for the Panthers, while Emma Tedford played No. 2 singles. Martha Rivers played three singles and Emorie Stockton played No. 4. Grace Taylor played five singles and Mattie Laney played six singles.
Taylor and Laney provided singles wins in the finals. Stockton and Laney earned a point at No. 3 doubles. Sloan and Tedford lost in a tie-breaker at No.1 doubles.
The golf team participated in the state tournament, finishing 12th in the team standings. Clara Kirchner was the top finisher, in 42nd place overall. Tate Erwin finished in a tie for 53rd and Kirsten Marshall tied for 56th with teammate Gabby Anderson.
The volleyball team posted a 15-20-3 overall record but went 6-2 in region play. Seniors Jen Fermo and Annie Goldstein led the team in kills this season, Fermo posting 238 kills and Goldstein finishing with 202.
Sophomore setter Charlotte Strickland recorded 714 assists and finished the season with 1,921 career assists. Senior Anne Strickland recorded 118 defensive digs.
The swim team had a solid day at the SCISA state meet with several athletes scoring team points for the Panthers. Audrey Fennelly finished eighth in the 50-yard freestyle while Kennedy Atkins was eighth in the 200 IM and ninth in the 100 free.
Reves Sidebottom was fourth in the 200 free and sixth in the 500 free, and Carson Hyder was fourth in both the 500 and the 100 backstroke. Ireland Evans-Langdale was ninth in the 100 breaststroke and 10th in the 200 IM. Amelia Lennon swam ninth in the 200 IM and 10th in the butterfly. Tatum Eisner was seventh in the butterfly.
Ashley Hall finished fifth in all three relays – the 200 free, the 400 free and the 200 medley.
Kate Coker led the cross country team in the region and state meets, finishing fourth in the region finals and ninth in the AAAA state meet. Natalie Cina was 13th in the region meet and 35th at state, while Natalie Bennett was 14th at the region meet and 36th at the state meet.
Eliza Groat ran 16th at the region meet and 41st at the state meet, and Gemma Williams was 17th at the region meet and 42nd at the state meet.
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